Yonkuo

You’ve just arrived in a swampy, dim town. As you look around, your gaze is met with shacks and cabins. It smells of rotted wood and wet moss. You duck and step into a tattered tent, illuminated by a series of candles suspended in the air. At the back of the tent, an old hag raises her head, “What brings you to this dingy town? she begins, then pauses to study your face—”Ah, it’s you. I’ve been expecting you. Sit,” she gestures at a cushion, “Tell me your story.”

((How do you respond?))

"Ah, let me regale you with the tale of my journey to this swampy forest town. I hail from a humble goblin clan nestled deep within the rugged mountains, a distant land far removed from this mystical realm. 'Twas a time when our tribe stumbled upon a long-forgotten tomb, a treacherous abode teeming with perilous traps and lifeless skeletons strewn about.

As we cautiously ventured forth, I, being the curious soul that I am, fell behind the group, captivated by a cache of emerald-hued gems emanating an ethereal glow. My beady eyes scanned the surroundings, seeking more of these precious stones. Little did I know that fate had a cruel twist in store for me.

With a resounding boom that reverberated through the depths of the tomb, I realized I had tarried too long. My heart sank as I hastened towards the source of the calamity, only to discover that my fellow goblins had succumbed to the treacherous traps. Grief and anger overwhelmed me, and in my anguish, I cast the flask containing those alluring gems upon the cold, stone floor, forsaking them forever.

Determined to find our previous campsite and rejoin my brethren, I embarked on a journey through winding caverns, the very heart of darkness. For days, nay, perchance weeks, I subsisted on meager rations of bats and the trickling waters of subterranean springs. Lost amidst the labyrinthine tunnels, I yearned for the touch of sunlight upon my pale blue skin.

On the verge of surrendering to despair, when hope flickered like a dying ember, a miracle revealed itself to me. A vine, descending from above like an answer to my silent prayers, dangled enticingly before my weary eyes. I clung to that lifeline and ascended, following the labyrinth of vines that adorned the subterranean realm.

Time lost all meaning as I traversed this arboreal maze, until, at long last, a celestial radiance pierced through the murky depths. It was the pale moon, casting its gentle glow upon the subterranean waters. Summoning the last vestiges of my strength, I forged onwards, scaling the vertiginous heights, determined to reach the surface.

And lo, it was with great exertion that I breached the veil between the subterranean realm and the world above. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I found myself amid the mire and mystique of a sprawling swamp, its murky waters and twisted flora greeting me as both ally and adversary. And so, fate led me to this very town, a testament to the resilience of a goblin who braved the depths and emerged into the unknown."

Grug paused, his eyes filled with a mix of weariness and determination, awaiting the old lady's response.